


Worthy

by ziio



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, The Avengers - Ambiguous Fandom
Genre: Age Play, Angst with a Happy Ending, Avengers Family, Bucky Barnes Recovering, Canon Divergence - Post-Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Child Abuse, F/M, Gen, Hurt Tony, Hurt Tony Stark, Hurt/Comfort, Infantilism, Insecure Tony, Kidnapping, Little Headspace, Littles Are Known, M/M, Non-Sexual Age Play, Obadiah gets whats coming to him eventually, Post-Avengers (2012), Protective Avengers, Team as Family, Tony Stark Feels, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, Tony gets all the love eventually, Tony-centric, little Tony, little clint
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-01
Updated: 2018-10-07
Packaged: 2019-03-12 11:43:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 15,085
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13546632
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ziio/pseuds/ziio
Summary: Tony thinks he's not worthy of the love the team shows for each other, they show him just how wrong he is. Of course, nothing is ever that simple and the road is filled with hiccups.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys, new story that I just couldn't stop thinking about and had to post. The story already has an outline it's just getting the chapters written out for you guys. I hope you enjoy, things look bleak now, but I promise you things get so much better. This is a hurt Tony story where the team finds out about it and gives Tony all the love he deserves.

Tony wakes up in the dark nursery by himself, again. It’s not much a surprise, Obie’s never there when he wakes up, he’s stopped expecting him to be too. He reminds himself that Obie has the company to run, the companies much more important than him after all. Tony yawns and stretches his arms, immediately the lights of the nursery cut on.

“Good morning young sir, it is Monday morning at 8:00 am.” Jarvis intones warmly. Tony nods, he likes waking up to hear Jarvis voice, it’s comforting. The crib bars lower and Tony eases himself out. It’s a routine he does every day since he doesn’t have Obie here with him. Only when he’s lucky is Obie here to take him out his crib and change him, make him breakfast and whatnot, today isn’t one of those days.

Tony waddles over to the where the pull-ups are and takes his wet one off, sliding the new one on. He doesn’t like the pull-ups at all, he prefers the diapers, but he doesn’t know how to put it on himself. Next, Tony digs around in his drawer for his clothes, he grabs a shirt that is much too big for him and pants, the onesies he adores are on the top shelf, and he can’t reach that. He glances over and sees his pacifier is on the dresser as well.

“If you’ll allow it, sir, maybe one of the Avengers can grab your pacifier for you, sir.”

Tony shakes his head at Jarvis’s suggestion like he always does, he doesn’t want to bother the Avengers, he’s not worth their time. They have more important things to do than get his pacifier for him. Once he’s dressed he goes into the kitchen, there’s no food for him to eat but thankfully there’s a bottle already made for him. He pulls his stool, and on wobbly legs, he grabs the bottle off the counter. The milk is cold, but Tony’s used to it. He’s just glad he has something to drink.

His stomach growls, but he ignores that as well when Obie gets home, he’ll feed him, he just doesn’t know when Obie will be home. “Sir, the Avengers have made breakfast downstairs, they have asked if you wish to join them.”

Tony doesn’t really understand why they asked for him; they don’t exactly like him. Obie told him that. The Avengers are kind to him, but Obie said it was because he was a little and it was only proper, plus he was a teammate they had to be at least cordial to one another. The days when he does go downstairs because Jarvis had pressured him enough to, they always smile at him and invite him to join in on their activities, he politely says no because he knows he’s not welcome like Obie said, they're only being nice.

Though deep down he wishes he could be apart of the rest of the Avengers, he sees how they treat Clint; they treat the little like gold. They play with him, buy him toys, take him outside the Tower. Obie doesn’t do any of those things for him. Obie says it’s because he’s a bad boy, he doesn’t deserve the treatment Clint gets, he believes it too. He tries to be good; he swears he does, but he always finds a way to mess it up.

“Sir?” Jarvis asked worriedly. The AI noticed Tony hadn’t responded in well over a minute; he urges his creator to eat something. Tony hadn’t eaten in over twenty-eight hours, completely unhealthy for a little his size.

It makes Jarvis despise Stane even more; the man is the worst caretaker of them all. He abuses Tony; he doesn’t take care of him at all, he all but destroys Tony’s self-esteem and self-worth. To make matters worse, Tony had coded him, so he was unable to tell the Avengers of the abuse Tony suffers at the hands of Stane. The abuse that Tony believes he deserves, no matter how many times Jarvis tells him otherwise.

The other Avengers are completely oblivious to the pain and neglect Tony takes from Stane; the man is evil, smart and charismatic. He tells the Avengers lies of why they haven’t seen Tony, he comes off to them as a good caretaker, as someone who takes care of and loves Tony. Jarvis wishes he could tell the Avengers that none of that is true, or that Tony would tell the truth to them, neither ever happens.

Tony shakes himself out of his thoughts and walks over to the elevator, his hunger thankfully has won out. Silently, Jarvis is grateful Tony has decided to eat, it usually takes much more prodding.

Before the elevator doors even open he hears the sound of laughter and the smell of delicious food, his mouth waters. When the doors open the first thing he sees is Bruce flipping pancakes, there's already a stack of them on the counter. Next, he sees Clint on the floor playing with his dinosaurs; Tony wishes he had toys to play with, he envies Clint at that moment. At the table is the rest of the Avengers engaged in some conversation.

Thor is the first to see him, “ANTHONY IT IS GOOD TO SEE YOU!” He booms across the room, Tony flinches in on himself, he hates loud noises, he hates yelling. It reminds him of when Obie yells, of when Obie is angry. The rest turn to greet him, and he almost wishes he hadn’t come down, he doesn’t want their fake smiles, he knows what they think of him, they don’t need to pretend.

Bruce stops flipping the pancakes and turns to him, “hey Tones, it’s good to see you. You hungry buddy?” He asks warmly. Tony would be lying if he said he didn’t like how softly they spoke to him, be it fake or not. He’d take the soft and kind words where he could; it was so rare Obie would be that gentle with him.

Before Tony can respond another body is slamming into him wrapping him in a hug, it’s Clint of course. Out of all the Avengers Clint is the only one Tony trusts. Like Tony, Clint was a little as well; it brought comfort to Tony to be around someone just like him. Clint’s little headspace was only a year older than him. Tony’s was one-two years old, while Clint’s was three-four years old.

Clint didn’t scare him like the others did, being a little he was only about five feet, and Clint was only an inch taller than him, he didn’t have to be afraid of someone towering over him or trying to hurt him. Clint was safe; Clint couldn’t fake kindness as the others could. He liked Clint and Clint genuinely liked him.

“Hi, Tony! Missed you! Where you been?” Clint asked firing off statements and questions in rapid suggestion. Tony hugged Clint back; he wanted the sweet and loving touch while it lasted. “Been in the workshop,” Tony said quietly. The Avengers weren’t allowed in the workshop, Obie’s orders. So when they didn’t see him they always safely assumed he was in the workshop or with Obie. “But I missed you too,” Tony said to the other little.

Bruce gently pulls them apart and offers a plate of pancakes on it to Tony and one to Clint. Tony wants to dig in right then and there, but he’ll wait till he’s in the workshop.

“Thank you, Bruce,” Tony whispers gratefully, he turns to go to the workshop to eat, but Clint stops him. “Where you going, Tony?” Clint asks pouting. He wanted the other little to sit and eat with him. It was so rare that he saw him, he wanted to spend as much time with him as possible.

Clint didn’t know much about adult business, but he had a feeling that him not being able to see Tony was because of that Ob-something man, he was Tony’s caretaker. Every time the Avengers asked about Tony or for Tony Ob-something always said Tony was doing fine or that Tony was busy. One time Ob-something said Tony didn’t want to be bothered with the rest of the Avengers, but that couldn’t be true could it? He liked Tony, a lot, the other little was so smart and nice! On the very rare occasions, he did get to spend time with Tony the two would have so much fun, laughing at jokes only they understood, they had boundless amounts of energy stored for each other.

It seemed the more time went on, the less he got to see Tony; it wasn’t fair.

Tony stared back at Clint, biting his lip nervously. He wanted to say yes so bad, but Obie demanded those StarkPhone blueprints be done before he got home, he didn’t want to make Obie angry, he—he hurt when Obie got angry. Plus, while Clint wanted him there the other Avengers didn’t, they’d only put up with him for the sake of Clint. He didn’t want to be any more of a burden he already was.

“C-Can’t, maybe next time Clint, ‘kay?” Tony said softly, he was hoping maybe there would be a time he could sit and eat with Clint, but today just wasn’t going to be one of those days.

As he walked to the elevator, he didn’t get a chance to see Clint’s face fall apart even more or the rest of the Avengers watching his back sadly, wishing he could have stayed.

Tony relaxes once he’s in the workshop, the pancakes are slightly cold but it doesn’t matter to him, they taste delicious either way. He eats fast and messily, savoring the food he hasn’t eaten in what seems like forever. When he finishes he’s still hungry but he doesn’t dare go back upstairs to ask for more, he just hopes Obie will be kind enough to make him something to eat.

Once Tony is done eating Jarvis lets the bots out so they can greet him. You, Dummy and Butterfingers, swarm him and pat him gently with their claws. He giggles at them and pets their chassis. His bots always manage to make him happy. Tony allows the petting for a few more minutes; he loves the attention he so rarely receives. His bots are so gentle with him; he soaks himself in their affection.

“‘Hanks guys, gotta work now,” Tony told his bots, they chirped and beeped sadly, rolling back to their charging stations. He’d love to play with his bots instead of work, but he didn’t want Obie angry with him. He didn’t want Obie to hurt him. He climbs onto the high chair that is modified to look much more like a workbench.

He works diligently for the next half hour, making sure the StarkPhone prototype is perfect. The phone would be a huge win for the company once released. Tony chewed on his lip as he worked, a habit he had developed when he was working hard. Moments later he feels Dummy’s mechanical claw tapping his shoulder, in the claw is a tennis ball. Immediately Tony knows exactly what he wants.

“I can’t Dummy, gotta finish this okay?” Dummy whirls sadly And turns away, guilt nags in the pit of Tony’s stomach. It had been a while since he seen his bots, and he hadn’t got the opportunity to play with Dummy in a while.

“Wait! We can play Dummy.” He slides out the chair and onto the floor, he’ll only play for a second then he’ll get right back to work on the blueprint.

Tony takes a spot on the floor and rolls the tennis ball back and forth with Dummy. To anyone else, their game looks horribly boring, but to Tony, it’s the most exciting thing he’s done all week. Besides Clint, who he rarely sees, the bots are the only people he has to play with. The games he plays with them are simply because of the bots limited capabilities, but it’s still time he gets to enjoy with his bots nonetheless.

Tony doesn’t even realize it’s been at least an hour since he’s been on the floor playing with Dummy when he hears Obie’s footsteps. Tony shivers at the sound of Obie’s voice; he curls in on himself, the ball forgotten. Thankfully Dummy rolls quietly into the back of the workshop, Dummy use to try to protect Tony from Obie. But when Obie practically threw Dummy, almost killing him, Tony had told him just to let it go, that it was okay.

Obie spots him on the floor and walks over to him, he yanks Tony’s small arm and pulls him roughly off the floor. Tony’s learned not to fight Obie or resist; it goes better when he doesn’t.

“Where are the blueprints, Tony?” Obie asks impatiently; Tony winces at the tight grip. He glances over at the workshop table and realizes he didn’t finish the blueprints.

“Not finished y-yet Obie,” Tony tells him meekly. The reaction to his words is instantaneous, Obie is literally dragging Tony over to the table. Uncaring that’s he’s mashing fragile bones in the littles arms, not caring that he’s dragging Tony on the floor because it’s no possible way the little can keep up with the speed Obie’s walking.

Obie grabs the blueprints and shoves them in Tony’s face, Tony flinches away in fear, expecting to be hit by him. “Finish them, now. If you hadn’t of been playing with those fucking robots, it would have been done.” Obie shouts at him.

It’s impossible for Tony to stop the tears and the small sob that comes from him. Obie’s yelling so loudly, so angry with him and it was all his fault. Plus the grip on his arm is downright painfully; he'll have bruises by the morning. He should have never gotten down from the chair; he should have done what he was told.

Obie slams the blueprints down and grabs Tony by his chin, “you’re going to finish those blueprints then come right upstairs. Do you understand me?”

Tony nods quickly and sincerely, maybe if he behaved the rest of the day Obie would forgive him. He works diligently on the blueprints, triple checking them to make sure they're perfect. Once he’s finished it hours later and his exhausted. All Tony wants is a warm bottle and his crib.

Jarvis releases the mechanical locks on the high chair for Tony to climb down. He basically crawls/walks to the elevator. Once on his floor, Obie is on the couch tapping quickly on the Starktab. Tony carefully places the blueprints down next to Obie on the couch.

“What the hell are you standing around for?” Obie asked annoyed, he had picked them up to read them but looked up when he saw Tony still laying there. “It’s time for bed, get in the nursery and go to sleep.”

“O-Okay…” Tony says quietly; he doubts if he asks Obie to fix him dinner he will, so he goes to the nursery on an empty stomach. Once in there he goes through the routine of changing himself, and his other nightly routine. Jarvis has already lowered the crib bars for him.

He takes his blanket and curls into a tight ball. “Night Jarvis. Can you play music until I fall asleep please?”

“Of course Sir, goodnight.” It takes Tony hours, but finally, he sleeps peacefully throughout the rest of the night.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, happy late valentines day. Thanks for all your comments and kudos it means a lot as always!

Tony wakes up again to the dark nursery he’s grown used too. Immediately the lights turn on, and he hears Jarvis soft voice enter the room.

“Good morning Sir, I hope you slept well, sir.”

“Morning Jarvis.” Tony crawls out the crib, laid out for him is a new pair of clothes and a fresh diaper, as well as his favorite pacifier. Tony looked up at the ceiling in question; he was positive Obie hadn’t done this.

“Mr. Stane has laid your clothes out for you sir,” Jarvis says with disdain. Stane did this at times; he’d show Tony random acts of kindness to keep the man under his control. It made Tony long for kindness from the man. It disgusted Jarvis.

Jarvis watches in dismay as Tony immediately brightens up and rushes to put his clothes on, “Obie did this for me?” Tony says happily. Tony toddles out into the foyer, secretly hoping to spot Obie, of course, he isn’t there.

“Mr. Stane is currently out of the Tower, the Avengers have made breakfast and have asked yet again for you to join them, sir.” Jarvis stresses the “again” part for emphasis. As much as Jarvis tells his creator the Avengers truly value and enjoy his presence, it never seems to get through to him. It’s because of Stane of course, and Jarvis hates it.

Tony’s stomach growls as he stands in the empty kitchen, making him his cereal and bottle wouldn’t be a problem, but he does crave Bruce’s food at the moment. “Sir?”

“I’ll go downstairs, Jarvis…” Tony says he’s always deep in his headspace when he wakes up in the morning; his feet feel unsteady, so he opts to crawl to the elevator. The elevator door is already open, and Jarvis swiftly sends him to the Avengers floor.

Bruce is standing in front of the elevator when it opens, probably thanks to Jarvis. Tony quickly glances at him then goes to crawl out the elevator, but a gentle hand on his back stops him.

“Hey, buddy, all that crawling doesn’t seem too comfortable now does it?” Bruce asks, kneeling at eye level. Tony doesn’t want to bother him with his problems; the crawling is uncomfortable, not unbearable.

Tony looks at him in surprise when he sees Bruce holding his arms out to him, the kitchen is only a few more feet away, but Tony allows Bruce to carry him in. The affection he receives from the team is always welcomed, he showers himself in it.

“Highchair or regular chair today bud?” Bruce asks.

“Just gonna eat in the workshop Bruce,” Tony says quietly; he doesn’t want to intrude. But Bruce hums and sits Tony in the highchair; he also ignores the questioning looks he is getting from Tony. He straps Tony in and walks back to the kitchen, still ignoring Tony’s glances.

Bruce walks back with a plate of fresh fruits and waffles and any thoughts of arguments quickly disappear from Tony’s mind, the food smells great, and he hasn’t eaten since early last night. “Now your going sits here and eat with me Tony, Clint and Natasha will be down here any minute,” Bruce says, he gives Tony a soft smile and goes to the kitchen to make himself a plate.

Tony allows himself, just for a moment, to think that just maybe he’s welcomed with the rest of them. That they genuinely want him there. He eats and enjoys the presence of Bruce.

“Is he here! Is he! Tony!” Tony hears Clint before he sees him and he can’t help the shy smile that comes to his face when he hears the excitement in the other little voice at the thought of him. Clint sprints into the kitchen and squeal when he sees his friend. “Tony!”

Though before he can barrel into the highchair as he wants to Natasha puts a hand on his shoulder stopping him. “How about we let Tony finish eating first?”

Clint pouts fiercely at the suggestion but relents and follows Natasha into the living room. Natasha brings it Clint’s toys and turns on the TV for the both of them. Natasha tries to engage Clint in the building blocks, but he only has eyes for Tony.

“I think I’m done,” Tony tells Bruce, unsurprisingly only a few minutes after Clint as walked in. He still has a waffle and fruit on his plate that Bruce wants gone, it hadn’t gone past him that Tony is a bit too skinny for his size. “How about you finish just a little bit more bud?” Bruce suggests gently. It also doesn’t escape his notice Tony’s nervous glances to the living room; he knows he’ll get a few more bites of food out the little before Tony tries to wiggle out of the chair.

“Okay,” Tony says, Bruce can’t help but laugh when the man takes precisely three more bites before he looks at Bruce expectantly. Bruce chuckles and unbuckles Tony out the highchair, the minute he mans feet touch the floor he sprints off into the living room.

Clint is already waiting for him, two crash into each other, hugging each other as if it’s the first time they’ve seen each other in years. Natasha watches as the two pull out their favorite toys and strike up a conversation with each other. Which mostly consist of Clint trying to make Tony laugh, it’s no secret Clint has a schoolboy crush on Tony. Natasha is perceptive enough to tell Tony feels the same way for Clint. Natasha relaxes on the couch and enjoys the presence of her family.

 

* * *

 

 

Steve enters the kitchen about fifteen minutes later, finally back from his ridiculously early morning runs he goes on with Sam

 “Is that Tony?” Steve asks in surprise when hears laughter from the living room; it’s been about a two week since he seen the little.

Bruce chuckled at his expression, “yeah, I was surprised too. He’s in there with Clint and Natasha.”

Completely forgetting about the breakfast, Steve walked (ran), to where Tony’s giggles were coming from. He hadn’t seen the little in about two weeks, and he had been worried, and Obadiah didn’t assuage that worry either. Steve didn’t know much about the man. Personally, he only knew that he was Tony’s caretaker. Obadiah seemed like a right kind of guy; he was friendly and polite to him and the rest of the Avengers.

Steve just didn’t appreciate how the man seemed to keep Tony away from the rest of them. Tony came to see them every now and again, they’d tell him he’d could come down more often, but Tony would always politely decline. They’ve also never been on Tony’s floor; Obadiah forbade them. Bruce told him nothing was wrong, that Obadiah was just a protective caretaker. Steve didn’t have any proof so let it go, but he kept his suspicions.

Steve walked into the room and saw Natasha on her phone while Clint and Tony babbled and crashed their dinosaurs together. Natasha saw him first and gave him a soft smile while glancing at Tony. Everyone knew Steve especially cared for Tony, they all did of course, but Steve’s was unique. Steve didn’t know if it was because he knew Tony’s father or it was just— Tony.

Steve came into the room and scooped Tony up from behind; Clint loved when he did that he hoped Tony would too. Though the reaction he had received was the opposite, he wanted. The little went deathly still in his arms; the playful giggles that left his mouth moments ago were no more. Steve and Natasha both exchanged concerned glances, Steve gently brings the little around to face him and sees his face is pale white.

“Tony? Baby are you okay?” Steve asks cautiously when the little doesn’t respond Natasha stands from the couch on edge.

“Sir it is Tuesday morning at 8:50 am. You are in Avengers Tower, and you are safe.” Jarvis says suddenly. It works, and the distant fog that was in Tony’s eyes is gone. Tony wiggles softly in Steve’s hold, Steve quickly obliges and lets the little down.

“Kotyonok? What was that, did Steve scare you?” Natasha’s said bending down to the littles level. Still shaken, but calmed slightly by Jarvis' voice, Tony merely nodded his head slowly. He was surprised when Natasha held out her arms for him; he wasn’t heavy at all. Littles was notoriously lightweight, so picking him up wasn’t an issue.

He desperately wanted to lean into her arms, this time it wouldn’t be a surprise. He knew whose arms he was in; he wasn’t being jostled abruptly. Natasha also didn’t remind him of Obie at all; they were the exact opposite. Natasha was quiet, gentle, a female and not as big as Obie. He was much more comfortable around her than the other male Avengers, except Clint of course. Even if it was all fake like Obie said, Natasha was so sweet and gentle with him. She treated him like something fragile… precious, it made him feel — loved.

Soon he found himself holding his arms up and him being picked up gently in her arms and settled back on the couch. He curled into her chest and was content to watch Clint play.

Steve looked wrecked. He hadn’t meant for the little to go into the state he had. But Steve couldn’t shake something was wrong with what happened. It made no sense for Tony to act the way he did, he understood him being slightly shaken but Tony had been downright terrified and unresponsive. It just didn’t make sense.

“Uhm, I’ll just go get breakfast,” he tells the group awkwardly, he backs out and reenters the kitchen. Bruce isn’t in the kitchen when he returns, but Thor is, having seen the entire thing he raises a questioning eyebrow at Steve. Steve simply shakes his head, “I have no idea.” He says sadly.

“Maybe the youngling scares easily, ‘tis funny I scared much more easily as a child then Loki did. To this day some things give me quite a fright” Thor says trying to lighten the mood. Steve gives a small smile, finding it hard to imagine someone like Thor being scared of anything.

“It’s just— you saw the way he reacted. Like I was going to h—hit him or something. That wasn’t a scare Thor that was a pure terror in his eyes.”

Thor frowns at his words, “Anthony is aware we would never hurt him.”

Steve still looks unconvinced but nods, something just doesn’t seem right, but he can’t place it. Steve grabs a water bottle and sits back at the counter; he’ll give Tony some time before he bothers the little again.

“You're not going to say hello to Tony?” Steve asks when he sees Thor leaving the kitchen. Thor gives him a small smile, “aye maybe next time, he is already shaken up, and I fear Tony isn’t comfortable around me. Unfortunately, I have not been able to bond with him the way I have hoped to.”

Steve didn’t want to mention it, but Tony seemed to bulk around most of them, Steve summed it up to Tony not being able to spend enough time with them, to build the trust the rest of the team had with one another. It was Obadiah's fault; Steve thinks bitterly if the man allowed them to spend time with Tony he’d trust them by now.

Thor had a wonderful relationship with Clint, for an alien with no classification he was terrific with littles. Steve could tell Thor wanted the closeness he had with Clint to be the same closeness he could have with Tony. Hell, they all did. “We all do Thor,” Steve says. Thor nods solemnly and leaves the kitchen, seeing that Tony is now resting comfortably on the floor with Clint, Steve decides to reenter the living room.

“Hi, Steve! Tony okay, no need to be sad.” Clint blurts out. Tony blushes and elbows him causing both the Natasha and the littles to chuckle. Steve breathes an external sign of relief that Tony has recovered from his mini panic attack. Still, on the cautious side, he sits on the couch next to Natasha, instead of on the floor with littles like he wants.

The two enjoy each others company, and Steve wishes he had his sketchpad so he could draw them. Tony is laying his head lazily on Clint’s shoulder while Clint puts his head on top of Tony’s, it indeed is a picture perfect moment. The two are both caught up in the latest episode of Danny something, all Steve knows is it’s about a kid who can turn into a ghost, and the show has completely captured the attention of the men.

“I have to go to the bathroom,” Clint says abruptly. Natasha and Steve both immediately stand, Clint is known for telling them when he has to go to the bathroom right before he has to go, which has resulted in a few accidents. “I’ll take Clint, see if Tony has to go will you?”

“Be right back Tony!” Clint shouts as Natasha leads him to the restroom. Tony, now alone with Steve, seems to draw in on himself and make himself as small as possible. Steve frowns sadly at his reaction towards him.

 “Sweetheart do you have to go potty too?” Steve asks kindly, either Tony had to go or he had already gone. Which would account for the wiggling Tony was doing on the floor, it was hard to get comfortable when you're wet.

Though instead of answering him Tony bashfully turns his face away, as if he’s ashamed of something, it puzzles Steve, Tony have absolutely nothing to be ashamed of. Steve and the team estimate Tony to be a little younger than Clint; it’s not expected for Tony to be able to tell them when he has to go to the bathroom.

“Sorry,” Tony whispers.

“What are you sorry for Tony? You didn’t do anything wrong, honey. Do you want me to carry you or do you want to walk?”

Even though Tony knows Steve didn’t mean to do what he did earlier, he still wasn’t comfortable with the man holding him at the moment. He’d get over it; he just needed time. “I—I’ll walk.” Steve anxiously holds out a hand for him grab; he feels much better when Tony gently grabs it. He walks him into the spare nursery and gently places him on the changing table.

As Steve goes to change his diaper, he gawks at what he sees. “Oh my goodness, Tony how’d you get this rash, my god,” Steve said in disbelief. Tony’s bottom was an angry red; it looked as if the rash had been festering for days. There was no way possible this wasn’t causing Tony extreme pain. When Clint even got the smallest of outbreaks the little was irritable and upset. What concerned Steve the most was how Obadiah hadn’t seen this, or if he had how could he just ignore it.

Steve looked up at the little who now had tears in his eyes that he was refusing to let fall. “Sweetheart…” Steve had so many questions he wanted to ask, but right now he needed to tend to Tony’s rash and get him in a clean diaper.

Steve grabs for the diaper rash cream under the table and lathers a generous amount on his hand. The minute Steve’s hand makes contact with Tony’s bottom the little wines and flinches away, it takes everything in Steve not to snatch his hand away.

Next, he grabs the powder and a fresh diaper. Thankfully they have the puffer diapers from when Clint had a rash. Steve is careful and gentle as he pulls the diaper up and snaps the straps. Unbeknownst to Steve, Tony feels better than he has in months. The cream is already working, soothing the angry rash and numbing it to dull pain. The diaper is comfy and not to tight, putting diapers on himself was beyond difficult, and he could never get it close to comfortable.

At this moment he wishes he could stay right here, surrounded by Steve’s gentle hands and soft words. He knows he can’t, but he still wants and hopes. Steve puts a new pair of bottoms on him, Clint’s of course, and sets him on the floor.

“Better?” Steve asks knowingly, Tony nods, better than he’s felt in months.

“Let’s go, sweetheart, I’m sure Clint’s waiting for us,” Steve says. Just as Tony goes to grab the outstretched hand, Jarvis interrupts them.

“I am sorry to interrupt, but Mr. Stane is home young Sir.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys enjoyed, I really liked this chapter then towards the end I started to dislike it but once again were all our own worst critic. Who else saw Black Panther and it is now in your top five favorite Marvel movies like me? Anywho have a good day guys! Feedback is always welcomed! P.S for Fixing the Present I'm working on the next update right now, expect it next weekish.
> 
> Comments: 50  
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	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve visits Obadiah about Tony, Tony endures.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back five months later with a new chapter virtual Starbucks and apologies to everybody.

Steve is up bright and early the next day, after the fiasco with Tony yesterday he just can’t shake that something is wrong. The rash was still worrying and not to mention that hasty way Tony had reacted when Jarvis had told him Obadiah was home. He had all but dashed out of the room and on the elevator.

He decided today he’d speak to Obadiah about Tony’s rash, it didn’t make any sense how the man did notice it. Steve knew he didn’t exactly have the right to question how a caregiver cared for his little, especially the caregiver who was allowing them to live in his Tower. Not only that he realized he could be overthinking the entire situation. Steve just hoped to make their meeting as none confrontational as possible.

“Jarvis is Obadiah in the tower?” Steve still looks up at the ceiling when he speaks to the AI, no matter how many times the other Avengers tell him Jarvis is theoretically “everywhere.”

“He is, would you like me to inform him you wish to speak with him?”

“Uh yes, if he’s free of course.”

“You may proceed into the elevator Captain.”

Steve eagerly steps into the elevator and makes his way to the floor. The first thing Steve notices is the floor is spotless. There’s nothing on the floor even to indicate a little lives here. The kitchen doesn’t have any baby bottles laying around, no pacifiers, not even a highchair in sight. Of course, it could be in the cabinets, but it’s peculiar Obadiah has absolutely nothing out for the little.

What’s concerned him slightly is there aren’t any toys laid out anywhere. Steve glances around to see if there’s a toy chest somewhere, but he doesn’t see one. Clint’s toys are always all over the place; especially those insufferable LEGOS Steve is positive Clint lays around on purposes.

His mind has jumped to all types of conclusions that he has to force down. He has no proof that Stane is an unfit caretaker, except for a severe rash that Stane could easily explain away. He just can’t describe this gut feeling that something is wrong somehow.

Before he can have a look around Stane is coming out of one of the rooms in an expensive black suit and a briefcase in his hand. He gives Steve a charming smile and extends his hand. “Captain, what a surprise. What can I do for you?”

Steve gives Stane a firm shake and smiles back, no reason to be rude. “I wanted to speak to you about Tony actually.”

Obadiah quirks an eyebrow at him in surprise, but nevertheless maintains his calm demeanor. “What about?” Steve swears he senses the tension in the man's tone.

“I was changing Tony the other day, and I noticed he had a pretty bad rash.” Steve pauses to gauge the man's reaction, but Stane remains cool and calm. “It looked like it had been there for a few days. I was simply concerned is all.” Steve tries to keep his tone light and friendly; he is all but accusing Stane of neglect.

“Nothing to worry about Captain, my boy is prone to rashes. Now if that is all.” Stane says dismissively. Steve doesn’t believe the story for a second, but he doesn’t have proof to counter it.

“Uhm that was all,” Steve says off-put by the clear dismissal. “Where are all of Tony’s toys? His cups and bottles? Your floor is spotless.” Steve says just as Stane goes to lead him to the door. It’s abrupt, but he still has questions he wants to be answered. The worry he came to the floor with is all but assuaged.

Instead of answering him Stane’s face turns thunderous. “What are you getting at Captain? Actually I think it’s time for you to leave, I have somewhere to be, and you’ve come at the most inconvenient of times.” Stane says tightly; he all put forces Steve to the door. Steve holds his ground, trying but failing to maintain his friendly demeanor, “Mr. Stane. I’m only trying to-”

Instead, Obadiah cuts him off. “I know exactly what you're trying to do, and your concern is unwarranted have a good day Mr. Rogers,” he says harshly slamming the door in Steve’s face. Steve stands in front of the door in a mix of emotions. He’s disappointed because that’s nowhere near how he expected the conversation to go, and angry because of Stane’s reaction. He has half a mind to demand entrance again but decides not to. “Jarvis? Tell the team to meet up in the kitchen please.”

Tony, who had heard Steve at the door is peeking out the archway watching their confrontation. It was surprising Steve had come to see about him. He hasn’t forgotten how gentle and concerned Steve had been about his rash, how he seemed to care genuinely. He didn’t expect him actually to come and check on him though.

He sees Obie turn from the door and make eye contact with him. P“Come here you little shit,” Obie growls behind him. His steps are loud and thunderous, Tony runs as fast as he can to the nursery, he knows if he runs it’ll be worst, but he’s so scared right now. So afraid of being hurt by Obie’s hands, he knows he deserves it, but it doesn’t mean he wants it.

Obie is getting so close he feels as if Obie’s breath is on his neck. Tony hates he’s so little, hates in his headspace he can’t control his bladder, hates his legs only hold him for a little while before he feels the need to crawl, he hates he can’t be good for just one second, he hates himself.

Obie stops their short chase by grabbing Tony by the back of his shirt and pulling him back making the distressed little fall on his wet bottom. Tony cries out and tries to crawl away. Obie puts his foot on Tony’s back and pushed him onto the floor. Tony does he only thing left he can do, beg.

“M’sorry Obie, m’sorry I—I was bad.” He says desperately, the foot on his back digs in deeper to the fragile bones in his back, he wails in pain at the pressure.

Obie leans down, putting more weight on his other leg, he didn’t want to break the little’s back. That's just more problems to add onto himself.

“What did you tell them, Tony? The good captain thinks I’m not taking care of you, so what did ya say, Tony? Are you happy your little savior is questioning me.” Obie seethes into his ear.

The shaking little under him does nothing to quell his rage; he takes his foot off his back before he really does break it. He flips Tony over and looks in disgust at him. Tony trembles in terror below him, awaiting either more words or another blow. Tony tries to make himself as small as possible in the face of Obie.

“I asked you a question!” Obie says, grabbing the little by his hair and shaking him.

“N—No not happy about it Obie, please.” The grip in his hair stings, and it forces more tears out of his already furiously red eyes. Tony’s truly scared now, Obie’s anger isn’t lessening, it’s increasing, and there’s nothing he can do about it.

“Now you're wet. And you sit and wonder why I don’t spend time with you; it’s because you’re so goddam messy, for fuck's sake.” Obie spits out harshly. Tony wants to say he couldn’t help it, it just happens. But that’s not true; he was just a messy little.

“Get up! Get up now!” Obie shouts, he pulls Tony up from the floor roughly. He drags him into the nursery bathroom and sits him in the tub.

“Jarvis!” Obie shouts at the ceiling. Jarvis fills the tub with lukewarm water, the perfect temp for the little. Obie sighs irritably. “Send one of the fucking bots up here and clean him up. And order that stupid fucking rash cream.” Obadiah gives Tony one more scathing glare before he leaves the room.

Tony’s still sobbing in the tub; his fingers fumble clumsily as takes off the wet clothes. Tony rings the wet clothes out and sets them on the side of the tub.

Tony wipes his eyes as he hears the familiar whirls and beeps from the bathroom door. Dummy stands in the entrance with his claw moving side to side in a confused motion. He whirls sadly as he sees the tears in his creator's eyes.

“Dummy can you get a bottle made for young sir,” Jarvis asks. Dummy can complete many tasks at ease; Dummy purposely ruins the drinks and simple tasks in the workshop for sirs amusement. Even though the mess to clean up is less than amusing. Right now though he needs a perfetly functioning Dummy to prepare a bottle and clean clothes for sir.

Jarvis sees his creator is in no condition to wash himself up, and his forbidden to call an Avenger onto their floor. He’s at a loss on what to do for him. He despises Obadiah at this moment now more than ever. He wishes there was something he could do; he hates that as human as he is code restricts him. As Obadiah would have already been in handcuffs had Jarvis had his way. Tony is still sniffling in the tub, the little Jarvis loves is so broken, Jarvis wishes he had a body more than ever so he could comfort his creator in his time of need. Dummy returns sometime later to the bathroom with a warm bottle and one of the very few toys sir has laying around.

He whirls and beeps sadly at Tony. Tony pats Dummy’s claw softly, grabbing the bottle and toy from the dejected robot. “It’s okay Dummy. It’s okay.” Jarvis knows it really isn’t.

 

* * *

 

“Steve…” Bruce says slightly exasperated.

“Don’t Steve me, Bruce, somethings wrong I’m telling you, his whole demeanor was off, and he just flew off the handle,” Steve said. After his confrontation with Stane, Steve had been trying to get his fellow Avengers to see that something was wrong but without much luck. Bruce and Natasha believe that Obadiah was just an overprotective caretaker, while Thor didn’t really understand the situation at all.

“Steve you did somewhat accuse him of not taking care of Tony.” Natasha tried to reason. Natasha could admit that Mr. Stane was somewhat of a mystery. They rarely did see him and when they did it was in passing. But he allowed them to stay in his tower after the Battle of New York, so she assumed it counted for something. He was a kind man from what she could tell.

“Because he isn’t!” Steve snapped. “Their floor is spotless not a toy, a pacifier, nothing, and the rash. Bruce, you should have seen it it was horrible.”

Bruce was looking slightly green, at the tension in the room and the prospect of one of their own being abused. While he wasn’t wholly dismissing Steve, he couldn’t just jump on Steve’s hunch.

“Steve let’s be rational just for a minute here. A clean floor means nothing, not really. Tony could be a very clean baby, or Mr. Stane could clean up very well after Tony. Second I’d get angry too if you accused me of abusing my little, anybody would. Wouldn’t you get angry if somebody said we abused Clint without proof? And he could be telling the truth about the rash, remember last month Clint had those horrible rashes after we took him to the beach?” Bruce said trying to rationalize this. It was a significant thing to accuse someone of abusing a little, hell before they did anything they needed proof. And Steve’s just wasn’t sufficient.

Steve seemed to slightly calm after Bruce’s answer, but he didn’t look completely persuaded. “We’ll keep an eye out next time he comes down. And if it’s true, we’ll deal with Stane.” Natasha added.

“I’m telling you something just not right,” Steve said worriedly. He just knew it in his gut something wasn’t. “And if it’s not we’ll figure it out,” Natasha promised.

 

* * *

 

 

After Steve’s last visit to their floor, Obie had been more careful. He tried to reign in on his abuse of Tony, he fed him more often (not much), he even bought him toys. Tony loved his toys, some were a bit below his headspace age range and some a lot higher, but he was more than grateful he now had something to play with. It made the loneliness on the floor better.

Tony’s favorite toy was the pony rocker Obie had given him. Tony could rock on it for hours, Jarvis would sometime play old western music to give the effect Tony was riding in the desert. Tony found an old brush in Obie’s room and used it to brush the fake ponies hair; he used cloths to make sure all his new toys were clean and shiny.

While the pony rocker was definitely on the top of his list so was a worn out bear Tony had found at the bottom of the toy pile. It was a dirty brown, no amount of washing would fix that, one of the eyes were missing, and some cotton was coming out of the torn ear on the bear. It had a red bow with white spots on it; the bear's eyes were a dull brown. The bear reminded him of himself. Dirty and broken, while He couldn’t fix himself, he could fix the bear and keep it safe. Tony decided to name him Barely.

The living room had soft instrumental music playing in the background while Tony crawled toy to toy doing his daily maintenance of them. Tony couldn’t wait for Obie to get home, he’d been good all week, he hadn’t made Obie mad once. Maybe today he could get Obie to play with him. Any other time he’d go to the Avengers, but Obie said he wanted him to stay on his floor for now. Tony had a feeling it was because the bruises he had still hadn’t faded much.

It was twenty minutes later when Obie walked through the door, completely drunk. His steps were loud, and he hustled around at the door as if he couldn’t lock it. Tony crawled away and tried to make himself small. Drunk Obie was a mystery to him. Drunk Obie could be angry; he could be cruel or, the rarest of them all, he could be oddly affectionate. When angry Obie appeared Tony made himself scarce, keeping completely out of Obie’s way. Sometimes he wasn’t lucky, and Obie caught him doing something that he perceived as wrong, so he’d rough the tiny little up.

Affectionate Obie was the complete opposite if he spotted Tony, his voice got all mushy, and he’d usher the little over to him. Even if Obie was drunk, Tony was more than willing to accept the affection. Obie slurred his words when he spoke to him, couldn’t stay on steady feet when he held him, but he was pleasant.

Tony watched as Obie stumbled around the kitchen, he dropped the keys on the counter, which landed on the floor. He was muttering to himself, then all of a sudden he stopped and scanned around the room. He spotted Tony curled behind the toys watching him nervously.

“Tony, my boy, come here.” Obie slurred, he walked (stumbled) his way over to the confused little. Tony crawled to where Obie was and glanced at the mans face nervously.

Tony flinched when Obie’s band found its way into his hair but instead of yanking or pulling he rubbed his hand over his head. “I’ve missed you, my boy.”

Tony visibly brightens and crawls a bit closer to Obie, “y-you did Obie?” He asks hopefully, did his good behavior truly pay off.

Obie scoops him up, albeit messily and he almost falls himself. “I sure did my boy,” Obadiah slurred, he takes Tony into the nursery first to change him, something he frequently forgets to do. Tony glances up at his face to make sure he’s not angry with him, but all he sees is a slight frown on Obie’s face, so he’s safe.

Obie’s changes his diaper, it’s slightly painful because of the rash Tony still has, and Obie doesn’t have any cream. He puts Tony’s clothes back and picks him up and leads him out of the room

There headed into Obie’s bedroom instead of the nursery. “Where we going, Obie?” Tony asked hesitantly. Obie didn’t answer; he just continued stumbling to the room. He leads Tony to his nursery and sits him in his crib. Tony stares quizzically at Obie as he bends down to eye level with him.

“Now you know I care about your little one, more than anyone else,” Obie says drunkenly hiccuping. Tony brightens at the admission and smiles. He knew Obie cared about him; he just had a hard time showing it. Tony watches in rapt attention as Obie pulls out a red tiny present box from his back pocket and hands it to him. Tony opens it and sees a beautiful red and gold charm bracelet. It has the Iron-Man helmet on it. It’s the only gift Obie has ever given him. Tony looks from the bracelet to Obie in disbelief.

“Thank you, Obie! Thank you!” Tony slides it on and keeps it on, never intending to take it off. Obie gives him a wry smile and stands up, his coordination still slightly off. “No problem my boy. Make sure you keep it on, that cost me a lot of money.” Tony nods eagerly; he’ll never take it off, Obie leaves. Tony lays in his cribs awake all night loving the unexpected gift, feeling better than he has in a long time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This will never be abandoned, I was just going through stuff and was on a long break. Hope you enjoyed it though guys! Reviews are always welcomed! Just a note in case someone mentions it I take no joy in little Tony suffering or anything like that, I just wanted to write a fic where Tony is hurt and the team finds out and give him all the love he deserves later with a twist.
> 
> Comments: 126  
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	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for sticking with me, sorry for such the long wait on chapters I'm a mess.

It’s around three in the afternoon when Tony hears a knock on his door. He’s anxious to answer it, knowing it’s probably one of the Avengers. Tony’s not sure if he’s even allowed to open the door if Obie’s not here. Obie’s been somewhat kind to him since he received the gift from him, but sometimes Obie still yanks him too hard or grabs him to rough, though Tony believes it’s not purposeful.

“Sir Captain Rogers, as well as Ms. Romanov, are at the door.”

Tony would be lying if he said he wasn’t curious nor slightly excited to see them. He liked Natasha a lot, not as much as Clint, but he still enjoyed her presence. He was still kind of afraid of Steve. Well maybe a lot afraid, but Steve was nice and asked about him. It made Obie hurt him that night, but it’s not like Steve knew that would happen.

“Uhm, Jarvis tells them Obie’s not here,” Tony says nervously; he really doesn’t want to answer the door and get in trouble.

“They wish to speak to you, sir.” Jarvis sees his creator hesitating and becoming increasingly nervous, “Sir I will not tell Mr. Stane about their visit should you speak with them.”

Jarvis words seem to ease Tony’s fears as he goes to the door to open it. Immediately Steve gives him a bright smile as well as Natasha, which Tony shyly returns.

“Hello Antoshka, are you here by yourself?” Natasha asks speaking first, she’s perceptive enough to know Steve slightly worries Tony.

“Uhm, yeah Obie’s at work plus I have plenty of toys. Wait you want to see my toys!” Tony asks them excitedly, he doesn’t understand the look Natasha gives Steve but she nods nonetheless.

“This is Barely, oh and this is my Pony! I haven’t named her yet, maybe Roxy?” Tony says babbling about, Steve picks up the raggedy bear and looks it over. “why’s it named Barley Tony?” He asks.

“Oh, because his uhm barley put together,” Tony says quickly, deciding to tell them half-truths on the real reason he named the bear. Natasha glances at the mountain of toys then gives that look that Tony still doesn’t understand what it means. “You’ve had these toys the whole time Antoshka?”

“N- Yes, uhm yes.” Tony stumbles out, he didn’t want them to get suspicious over his lack of toys in the past months, but he can tell Tony and Steve both caught the slip. “Uhm, if that’s all..” Tony says shyly; he’s almost positive Obie doesn’t want guests in their suite. Especially the Avengers.

“Actually sweetheart we wanted to know if you wanted to come play with us. Bruce cooked, and Clint brought all his toys out. He’s been asking for you.” Steve says.

Tony freezes remembering how Obie didn’t want him downstairs with them till he was completely healed. Plus, Obie told him the Avengers didn’t want to see him, but at the same time, he missed Clint so much, his only other friend, plus he was hungry. “I-I don’t know.”

Steve’s face all but falls while Natasha looks disappointed as well. “Sir, I will alert you when Mr. Stane is on his way should you choose to go with the Avengers,” Jarvis says in hopes Tony will go with them; he deserves some happiness and relaxation with the other Avengers.

Tony looks at Steve’s hopeful face and thinks of how happy Clint will be to see him. Plus, Jarvis said he’d tell him if Obie was coming, he had more than enough time to get back to the suite should anything happen.

“I-I guess I can go.” Tony finally relents.

“Great! Jarvis let them know we’re coming.” Steve says at the same time he goes to pick up Tony as if it’s the most natural thing in the world. Though he freezes when he sees the quick flash of terror in Tony’s eyes and barely concealed flinch.

“May I carry you down there kitten?” Natasha asks softly bending down. She notices it’s the same reaction from the episode they had a few weeks ago, it’s disturbing to see Tony scared of Steve of all people. She sees Tony’s breathing even, and he cautiously wraps his arms around her neck giving her the okay he’s okay with being lifted. She grabs the toy bear and brings it with them.

With Tony’s head in the crock of her neck Steve mouths to her, “see!”

Natasha did find it strange, the mishap in the living room could simply be explained as Tony being surprised, but this one didn’t make any sense. She heads to the elevator to their floor, it’s too much to process and a conversation they can’t have in front of Tony anyway.

It’s no surprise when the elevator door opens Clint is standing right in front with barely contained excitement.

“Tony! Tony! You came!” Clint gushes out, Tony wiggles out of her arms and surrenders himself to Clint’s enthusiastic hugs. The little being more relaxed with Clint than all of them.

“Little one! How good of you to join us!” Thor’s booms out, at this point Natasha doesn’t even know if Thor knows how to use an inside voice. Though this time Tony doesn’t flinch, he even waves to Thor. It must be Clint’s presence which is keeping the little calm. Bruce perks his head out from the kitchen and waves at them.

Clint grabs Tony’s hand to drag him in the living room but stops when he sees the charm bracelet. “Oh wow, that’s pretty! Did your daddy give that to you?”

Steve tenses behind Tony at Clint’s words. First at the assumption that Stane could even be considered a proper “daddy,” then at the mention of the bracelet. Steve watches as Tony visibly brightens and holds his wrist out for them all to see. “Obie got me a bracelet, see it has Iron Man on it!”

Thor and Bruce wander over to stare at it, as much as Steve hates to admit it the bracelet is beautiful. The red is brilliant and the gold is obviously real and expensive.

“Why’d he get you that buddy?” Bruce asks after examining the charm.

“Because I was good,” Tony says softly stroking the bracelet. Steve watches as Bruce looks at him in confusion, and Natasha has this unreadable look in her eyes.

“Come on Tony so we can play!” Clint says dragging Tony away before they can ask what he means, oblivious to the tension in the room. Once the littles are entirely out of the room, Steve turns to Natasha in frustration.

“What did I tell you? See, Stane’s abusing him!” Steve says exasperatedly. Thor looks confused, “how did you come to this conclusion Steven?”

“He flinches from all of us, except Natasha, plus he got the bracelet for being good, what the hell does that even mean?” Steve says angry, he understands that’s not necessarily concrete proof, but he has a gut feeling something is so wrong.

“We are quite big to him Steven, and he is small, it’s not unusual he’d be frightened of us. He also does not know us very well.”

“I wonder whose fault that is.” Steve says sarcastically.

“We could ask him,” Natasha says nervously as if she’s scared of the answers she’ll receive if she does speak to Tony. Steve realizes she must believe something is wrong as well; it’s just convincing Bruce and Thor of it.

Bruce looks more than skeptical but eventually nods, “alright. But not now, let him play with Clint for now.” Steve wants to start asking questions now, but he lets it go. He can hear the giggling going on from the living room, and he doesn’t have the heart to stop it.

 

* * *

 

 

“So which dinosaur do you want to be?” Clint asks Tony.

“That one!” Tony says grabbing the T-Rex, “it’s big and strong.”

“Okay, I’ll be the Raptor because they’re really smart!” Clint says proudly, Tony stares at him in confusion, “but I’ll beat you.”

“Un uh, Thor told me brains always beat brawns, that’s why Loki always beats him.”

Tony looks away doubtfully, “that’s not what Obie says.”

Clint frowns and grabs Tony’s hand, “Obie’s not very smart then.”

“That is very true,” Jarvis says over the speaker causing both the littles to laugh. “Here let’s switch, because you’re smart! So, you should have the smart dinosaur.” Clint says switching them around.

“What about you though?”

“I can be the T-Rex, I’m strong, so I can protect you! You’re just smarter than me!” Clint said, Tony gave him a shy smile at the image of Clint protecting him. It was a nice thought, but he doubted Clint could protect him against Obie.

A while later the Avengers enter the room, and Thor joins them on the floor grabbing and dinosaur to play with them, as well as telling some tale of the creatures of Asgard looking just like the plastic figures. Steve and Natasha take a seat on the couch behind them, and Bruce leans on the doorframe. At that moment Tony feels safe, and content. In those moments he wishes he had caregivers like Clint’s.

 

* * *

 

 

“Sir, Mr. Stane is arriving.”

It’s been well into four hours by the time Jarvis tells Tony Obie is on his way. He’s played with Clint, eaten with the Avengers and he even allowed Natasha to change him. He’s adored the moments with them, he thinks of how he wishes he was more part of the team.

“Nooo, Tony please stay, please?” Clint begs. He pulls Tony into a tight hug; which Tony returns but he can’t stay if Obie found out he was down here at all he’d be in a world of trouble.

“Yes, little one, do you have to leave so soon?” Thor asks this is the most he’s spent with Tony since he’s known him, and it had been a most enjoyable time. “Maybe if we asked Mr. Stane you could spend the night with us little one?” All the Avenger nod their head at the question. But Tony fiercely shakes his head, Obie can’t even know he was down here.

“Maybe we can play tomorrow, kay? I-I missed Obie too. I’ve got to go now bye bye.” Tony says rushing to the elevator; he’s so tempted to stay where he feels safe and happy. Maybe one of these days Obie would let him spend the night with them.

Before the elevator closes he sees Clint wave to him, and he waves back.

“Where’s Obie Jarvis?” Tony asks crawling to his pile of toys. “In the elevator, you made it back just in time Sir,” Jarvis says relieved for himself and Tony.

“Anthony? Where are you?” Obie asks first thing off the elevator. Tony notes how Obie sounds happy, which is good news for him.

“Right here, Obie!” Tony says eager to feed off Obie’s good mood. Obie nods after spotting him, “been upstairs all day right my boy?” He asks, Tony doesn’t like his tone as if he already knows the answer.

“Y-Yes Obie, I was up here all day.” Tony is grateful his voice doesn’t shake, he glances at Obie and sees him giving him a once over. “Good my boy, because I’d be very disappointed in you if you didn’t.” He says in that same ominous tone.

“Go to the nursery; it’s time for bed.” He says gruffly and loosens his tie. Tony let’s out a breath he didn’t even know he was holding. He goes to crawl when there’s a knock at the door, his heart all but stops.

Obie glances over at Tony before going to open the door. It’s Thor, holding his bear, the one he left downstairs.

“The little one left his bear downstairs; can you make sure he receives it.” Tony can see Obie’s entire posture stiffen, he gives Thor a megawatt smile and nods, “of course, have a good day now.” He shuts the door and slowly turns back around to Tony.

“You know my boy; I really wish you hadn’t lied to me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter the team finds out. 
> 
> I was gone for a while but I was working on other stories. I've got three, all featuring a little Tony, so I have stories coming soon to you all! I appreciate every single one of you, thank you for your amazing reviews and feedback.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank everyone for your support, and enjoy!

Jarvis is scared; he’s terrified in fact. He is terrified for the little huddled in the nursery closet. Stane has just left after giving Tony another one of his increasingly violent beatings. Jarvis doesn’t know how long he’ll be gone till, but today, he has to act because it’s becoming an increasing probability that Stane is going to kill Tony whether it be on accident or on purpose. It’s been weeks since Thor’s visit, and it’s just getting worse.

 

His violence is stemming from the failing company, and the Avengers frequent inquiries on Tony welfare, they suspect Stane’s hidden abusive behavior. Though that doesn’t matter, all that matters is that Tony is taking the brunt of all of his rage. Jarvis can’t let Stane come back and put his hands on Tony. Tonight is it; he’s going to do something. Though he’s severely limited by his coding.

 

Stane has just as much override control as Tony, which can only be overridden if Tony gives him the say so, which isn’t going to happen. He can’t outright tell the Avengers about the abuse, without Tony’s or Stane’s say so. He thinks of his options; he’s never been successful is coaxing Tony to tell the Avengers the truth. He can’t even tell the Avengers to check on Tony since Stane muted him.

 

Jarvis watches the feed of the Avengers Natasha has retired to bed while Bruce is cleaning the kitchen and Thor is sleeping on the couch, Steve and Clint are watching tv, but the littles eyes are steadily dropping. He needs to act fast before he loses this opportunity.

 

It’s then he gets an idea. He has control over the electronics in the Tower. He flashes on the screen The Shining, a scene where the woman is running from her attacker. Steve sits up and looks around confused. He flicks the channel back to the original station and Jarvis tries again. This time playing a scene from Friday the 13th. The woman is running and screaming for help.

 

“Jarvis is something going on with the TV?” Steve asks curiously; Bruce wanders in too after hearing screaming from the tv.

 

“Since when are you into horror movies?”

 

“I’m not..” Steve trails off confused, “the channels keep turning. Jarvis what’s going on?”

 

Jarvis plays another clip on the TV. “Well duh, I obviously can’t talk right now.” Jarvis then mutes it hoping Steve understands.

 

“Jarvis can you not talk to us right now?” Bruce asks concerned.

 

“Dude that’s what I’ve been trying to say this whole freaking time!” The tv plays from a clip of a tv show.

 

Steve jostles Thor to wake him, “Steven what’s-” Steve shushes him and points at the tv. Clint fully awake now and is staring at the tv curiously.

 

“Jarvis is something wrong?” Steve asks worriedly, Jarvis having his full attention now.

 

“Somebody needs to help this guy out… stranger danger… we need to go and save him Wally!” The tv spurts out, the channel changing rapidly to put together a sentence.

 

“Jarvis who’s in trouble who are we saving?” Steve says setting Clint down and standing up. He has a feeling he already knows, and the dread in his gut is threatening to swallow him.

 

“Tony Stark, billionaire and philanthropist was..”

 

“Shit!” Steve says running to the elevator, Thor and Bruce fast on his heels. Clint crawls after them confused at the turn of events. “What’s going on? Tony’s in trouble, what’s happening?” Clint asks biting his lip.

 

“Jarvis open the elevator!” Steve shouts hitting the elevator. Bruce is looking a bit to green to be in the safe zone. Natasha comes from around the corner, hair all over the place and annoyance all over her face. “What the hell is-”

 

“Tony’s in trouble, I’m scared Tasha.” Clint interrupts, looking as if he’s going to bust out into tears any moment. Natasha freezes and picks Clint up, though there’s ice in her stomach. “Steve what’s going on?” She asks trying to keep her voice steady.

 

“Jarvis said Tony’s in danger, but he won’t open the damn elevator,” Steve says looking like he’s seconds from breaking the thing.

 

“He probably can’t; Stane must have told him not to. We’ll need the override code.” Bruce says through clenched teeth.

 

“I have the code, it’s Clint & Tony Best Friends Forever.” Clint says tears in his eyes. The elevator door immediately pops open and they are all thankful that at least Clint had a code. They all go to step into the elevator but Steve pauses, “we can’t all go. We’ll overwhelm him only one of us should go.” Steve pauses and allows them to protest but his tone is final, “Natasha you go, he’s the least scared of you and if it’s as bad as I think it is it should be you.”

 

Without arguing Natasha nods and heads into the elevator, passing Clint to Thor. Jarvis immediately sends her to the floor. The door to their suite is locked, but she uses the spare bobby pin in her hair to break it open. She enters and gasps. The suite is a mess; broken toys are strewn everywhere, the cushions overturned the floor dirty, it’s as if someone had a mental break down. She carefully walks through the apartment not wanting to startle Tony. She heads into the nursery and sees that in disarray as well. She glances around and sees a black mass in the corner of the closet.

 

“Antoshka?” She says gently, the figure in the closet flinches and tries to make themselves even smaller. She creeps closer and bends down; she can’t see much because of how dark it is.

 

“Kitten? Can you come out for me?” She sees Tony shake his head violently, and cuddles into himself even further.

 

“Are you scared kitten? You don’t have to be afraid; nobody’s going to hurt you I promise.” And she means it; Stane will never hurt Tony again. She’d kill him first.

 

“G-Go away p-please,” Tony says shakily; it sounds like his breath is rattled, Natasha notes. Bruised ribs maybe, but she can’t see anything with Tony in the darkened closet.

 

“I can’t kitten, not with you so scared.”

 

“Go away, b-before he comes back.”

 

“Tony, Stane is never coming back to the Tower, I promise you. You will never have to see him again.” Natasha swears, and she means it. Stane is a dead man walking when she gets her hands on him.

 

She sees Tony’s darkened figure shift in the closet. “Do you promise?” Natasha’s heart breaks at how broken he sounds.

“I promise you, Tony.”

 

She watches as Tony slowly crawls out of the closet on shaky hands. As he enters into the light, Natasha can see the full extent of his injuries, and the crushing weight of guilt buries her. Steve was right, this entire time. They could have stopped this weeks ago. The littles face is heavily bruised, there’s handprints on his arms as if someone’s been yanking him. It’s hard to see much since the apartment is so dim. She watches as Tony crawls into her arms and just collapses in them.

 

Natasha grabs him tightly, wrapping her arms around the shaking little. “Shhh, it’s okay Tony, it okay.” He’s sniffling into her shoulder and is holding her like a lifeline. She shushes him and guides him through the chaotic apartment, guilt heavy in her heart. This is all her fault. At this point, she doesn’t even know if they can make this right.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for such kind comments, I enjoy reading them! Next chapter will probably be up in the next day or two then a short break because of the two other little Tony stories I want to post later this week. Also sorry if this is formatted weird, I write on both my phone and laptop.
> 
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	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The team reacts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So brief mention of child molestation. then we're done with the Stane abusing Tony arc and were into full-blown recovery arc. Also you guys are awesome, I recognize and appreciate the ones who take time to comment!

It’s been five minutes since Natasha brought Tony down to their floor and set him on the couch with Clint, and the silence in the room is deafening. Even though Jarvis is unmuted he hasn’t said anything either.

Steve’s pacing, Bruce is trying not to let the hulk out, Natasha thinks of grabbing her gun, and Thor flexes Mjolnir in his hand just begging to use it. They can’t even bare to stare at the bruised and bloody little on the couch. Tony’s face is bruised with spots of purple and yellow, but not swollen. Meaning the bruises had been there for some days. On his wrist and arm are also bruises, some faded some not. The pants and shirt his wearing is concealing what could be more bruises and cuts.

Tony doesn’t look at any of them, he clutched Clint’s hand and let the tears roll silently down his cheek. He knows he’s disgusting, he’s pitiful, he doesn’t want their stares to confirm what he already knows. He should have never left with Natasha, but it was just instinct to follow her. He didn’t want the Avengers to see how pathetic he was if they had just come a few days later they wouldn’t have seen the bruises that made his whole body.

Steve, for the first time in a long time, doesn’t know what to do. He knows what he wants to do, find Obadiah Stane and murder the man with his bare hands. Bury his fist in the man's face, cripple him, something. Make his body look like Tony’s, no, worse. He’d make the man unrecognizable. He couldn’t fathom how someone could be so— cruel, so heartless to hurt a little like this, not even a little, another human being like this.

Tony… His Tony, their Tony was a mess. He’d accept nothing less but the blame for the abused and frightful little on the couch. He was the team leader; he was supposed to make sure the team was safe, healthy, happy. He didn’t do either one for Tony. Steve struggles to even look at the little, but no, he steels himself to stare at his failure, at what he failed to protect.

Bruce isn’t even completely Bruce at the moment. It’s 20% Bruce and 80% Hulk. Hulk wants to rip and roar through the surface.

_Protect tiny Tony, kill care man_

_Protect tiny Tony, kill care man_

That’s all Hulk is screaming in his ear, and it’s taking every ounce of self-control Bruce possess not to give in to the urge. To stay calm and composed, to think clearly. But his friend, his teammate, his little, was sitting on the couch covered in bruises and cuts. Sitting on the couch and terrified of all of them, as if they had given him the bruises as if they had abused him.

Tony should hate them; he should be scared of them because they failed Tony. They failed to keep him safe, to protect him. Bruce had never felt such pain and sorrow in his life, but when he looks at Tony, that’s exactly what he feels. He needs to stay level-headed, doctor first, friend second.

Tony was obviously in pain, the cuts needed to be tended and who knew it that sick bastard had broken anything. He’d kill Obadiah; he would kill him.

Natasha’s an assassin, trained in the red room with littles and caretaker designations alike. She’d seen bloodied littles, bruised littles, hurt littles, dead littles. But it was nothing compared to seeing her friend in the same condition as those littles she had once seen. She felt nothing for the things she had seen, but looking at Tony, she wants to fall to her knees and cry, to break apart.

Her kitten, her kotyonok, so hurt, so scared and in pain is almost too much. She wants to reach out and touch him, make him better, let him know he’s safe now, he doesn’t need to be scared anymore. But she can’t, not when Tony flinches away from them in fear, not when she had allowed Tony to be hurt. Now more than ever does she want to pick him up and lay him in her lap, comb her fingers throw his chocolate hair, and sing his favorite Russian lullaby.

Though there’s another part of her that wants to find her gear, her weapons and hunt Obadiah Stane down. She’s learned form SHIELD the most painful torture methods, how to make the torture slow or fast. She’s learned how to kill painlessly and painfully. When she found him, he’d receive the worst of the worst she had learned.

Thor is— confused. Enraged, hurt, sorrow-filled, but also confused. He doesn’t understand how another person could hurt another to such an extent. To hurt a vulnerable person, to hurt such a small and sweet person. How some could hurt— Tony…

Thor is not stupid, he understands things quickly, only having to have things explained to him once before he understands it. Midgardian ways are different for what he’s used to, but his time on Earth has made him accustomed to them. What he doesn’t understand, whether on Midgard or Asgard is how someone could hurt…damage someone so small and innocent.

Thor was taught of classifications as well thankfully. Tony was a little, inherently a child. And he had been hurt so. It didn’t make sense. Tony was— sweet, kind, a pure delight, he had innocence only possessed by littles. He didn’t understand how such things happened, but he knew they happened, monsters they were. Asgard has monsters as well, and they were punished to the fullest extent. Midgard has monsters as well, he just never expected the monster to attack someone so close.

With that confusion came rage, pure unadulterated rage. In Asgard monsters such as this were imprisoned and later executed. Thor knew rules and customs differed from realm to realm. No matter, he’d kill this Son of Stane, and give Tony the justice he deserves. After the rage came sorrow, hurt, that he had not noticed his friend pain before. That he could not have prevented this tragedy. He failed. It was a feeling he didn’t like.

The room was completely silent; you could hear a pin drop. The adults watch the two littles, Clint is rubbing Tony’s hand, the only unbruised part in his body. The only thing Clint understood was that Tony was hurt and he had to make it better, nothing more, nothing less.

“Shh it’s ‘kay Tony, don’t cry Tony.” Clint keeps repeating; he’s focused completely on Tony. “I love you, Tony; it’s ‘kay I love you.” Clint waits for Tony to say it back like he always does but it never comes.

What seems like an eternity later Bruce is the first to speak. “Tony, Tony buddy can you look at me, please? Can I see those pretty eyes, Tony?” Bruce croaks out; he coughs in an attempt to regain composure better.

Tony turns his head in Bruce’s direction, but he doesn’t look at him. Bruce doesn’t comment on it, he’s more than grateful that he even got that reaction.

“Good job buddy, a very good job. Now, Tony, I have to ask okay champ? You’ve got some pretty nasty injuries there, are there any more?” Bruce attempts and fails to but some amount of cheer in his voice to encourage Tony but he just can’t. He can’t.

Tony looks to Clint; they do that communication with their eyes that nobody understands but them two. After a few seconds, Tony nods and grips Clint's hand even tighter than before, scooting even closer to Clint as well.

“M—My b-b-back and my chest I think,” Tony says quietly. Bruce thinks it’s great progress, but it’s a hard step they have to jump over in a moment. He needs to see the damage himself. In long words, he needs Tony to remove his shirt and pants so he can examine the little properly.

“That’s a good job Tony, such a good job. Is it okay if we go in the bathroom and I take a closer look?”

Tony shakes his head no, and curls even closer into Clint. “Don’t—Don’t want to do that.” Tony says pitifully. Tony doesn’t want Bruce or any of the Avengers to se who’s marred flesh, he just—he just doesn’t trust them enough yet. Bruce looks back helplessly at the others, he truly doesn’t know what to do. Letting Tony sit on the couch bruised and cut is not an option, but the last thing they want to do is force the little to do something he doesn’t want to.

“Do you trust Clint?” Natasha asks suddenly. They all look at her curiously. It takes a second but Tony nods furiously in agreement. “Can I make a compromise then? How about you and Clint go into the bathroom, and we’ll let Jarvis take the pictures.” Natasha proposes.

It’s a brilliant idea, one none of them could have thought of. Tony trust Clint enough to show him his most vulnerable state, and Jarvis enough to take the pictures. While Bruce would prefer to touch and examine Tony himself, he’s content with getting the pictures and detailed analysis from Jarvis. It’s the best they’ll get out of Tony right now and they’ll take it.

“It’s okay Tony, you trust me right? I trust you Tony.” Clint says softly, still stroking Tony’s hand. Tony nods and slides off the couch with a wince, Clint guides him to the bathroom.

“I fucking told you, I fucking said it.” Steve says once the littles disappeared, he sucks in a breath and roughly runs his hands through his hair. Deep down he wished he was wrong, that Stane wasn’t a fucking monster. He should have done something, anything.

The Avengers look a combination of ashamed and anger as well. “Steven, we are truly regretful we did not heed your warnings.” Thor says, Steve can practically hear the guilt in his words, but it’s not enough to quell the rage in his gut. “Save that apology for Tony.” Steve spits out.

“Captain, I endeavor not to make the situation worse, truly.” Jarvis begins if they truly wish to catalog all of Tony’s injuries he had to tell them about the ones that weren’t visible. Jarvis was speaking of the night he had to physically intervene between the— attempted assault— of his young creator.

“What is it, Jarvis?” Steve asks, he doesn’t want to hear it, when someone says they don’t want to make the situation worse, they make it worse. And he doesn’t want to know what could be worse than what they have now.

Because of his restrictions in telling the Avengers of the events that go on between Tony and Mr. Stane he tries the best he can. “Sir was touched by Mr. Stane. I believe he does not understand what had transpired.” His words don’t disclose what happened between Mr. Stane and Tony, but it gives an idea.

The silence is almost palpable. Every single one of them immediately understands what Jarvis is trying to tell them. “Jarvis,” Bruce begins through clenched teeth. “Did that sick bastard put his disgusting hands on our little.” Bruce’s muscles are bending and moving; the Hulk is begging to be set free.

Natasha sits stoically, her face blank as paper. She doesn’t need clarification on Jarvis’ words; he said what he said. Steve is simply waiting for Jarvis to confirm what he said before he flings the chair across the room.

“Sir was touched by Mr. Stane. I believe he does not understand what had transpired.” Jarvis repeats moments later.

Bruce is up, and out of there before Jarvis even finishes his sentence, he needs to get to the Hulk room before he levels this floor and the ones above and below it. Steve makes good on his promise and throws the chair across the room; it breaks into pieces the minute it collides with the wall. Natasha stays as she is, but she is already planning to grab her weapons when this is all over. She’s practicing torture techniques in her head as well.

Thor only understands Bruce’s words, why were Bruce and Steve so angry at what they already knew. Of course, he was angry as well, but this renewed burst of rage confused him. “Jarvis, what do you speak of when you say inappropriate touch, I believed he was already inappropriately touched.”

Steve rounds on Thor and looks at him incredulously. He’s not angry with Thor, really. Bu this entire situation isn’t making him clear headed. “Sexual abuse Thor, a disgusting grown man, putting his hands on a child with sexual intent! Tony doesn’t understand he was sexually abused. Do you understand now!” Steve yells in his face.

Thor’s face dawns in understanding, and the weather outside becomes downright deadly. He turns away, his face is blank, but the weather is becoming more and more dangerous. That strikes a cord deep in Thor, he doesn’t understand how someone could be so evil and cruel. Though it doesn’t matter, Obadiah Stane will pay for what he has done.

 

* * *

 

 

In the bathroom Tony, with the help of Clint, he slowly peels of his shirt. Clint gasp and looks at Tony in despair. “Did Obie do that?” He asks tears welling up in his eyes at seeing his best friend so hurt. Tony nods and looks away ashamed of his body. Clint kisses Tony’s forehead and grips his hand, “I’m sorry Tony, I’m really sorry.” Next are the pants, his legs have a few old bruises but look otherwise fine.

“I have taken all the pictures young sirs, you are free to return to the Avengers when you are ready.”

“I go get you more clothes, these are dirty.” Clint says going to leave the bathroom but not before grabbing Tony’s hand and bringing him with him. “Never leave you alone again Tony.” He whispers to him, and he means it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for your reviews, next update won't be for a week or two I just posted my little Tony & Thanos Infinity War story, and I want to get a few chapters on that before I update this again. As always hope you enjoyed!


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The team talks and plans are formed.

It’s fifteen minutes later that Clint and Tony emerge out of the hallway, Bruce had returned five minutes ago calmer and collected than what he once was. Tony’s not exactly clean but the little is dressed in fresh clothes, the team can see the death grip Tony has Clint hand in, but he doesn’t seem to mind. Tony and Clint take their seat back on the couch, Clint wraps a comforting arm around Tony and pulls him close.

“Hey sweetheart, I know you’re so very tired but we need to ask you a few questions is that okay?” Steve asks gently, Tony looks at all of them before nodding cautiously.

“Jarvis make sure you record this. Alright, can you tell me who hurt you, Tony?” It’s obvious, so painfully obvious as it had been from day one but if they're going to take legal action as well they need Tony's confession. Should Stane mysteriously die at their hands they need to show that Stane was a monster.

Tony whimpers and looks away as if he’s debating whether he should tell, it’s not as if they already don’t know. “O-Obie..”

“That’s good sweetheart, very good. Can you tell us how long he’s been hurting you?”

“O-Obie doesn’t hurt me, not really. Only when I’m bad. I was bad.” Tony says tearfully. Steve clenches his fist wanting nothing more than to break something.

“Did Obie tell you, you were bad Tony?” Natasha asks level-headed. Tony nods and wipes his eyes, Obie used to hate when he cried.

“What did Obie say you did that was bad Tony?”

“W-Was messy didn’t-didn’t do what he told me to do. I try to be good, I really do.”

“No sweetheart, you’re not bad at all honey. Obadiah was a monster, he hurt you, Tony. Nothing you did would ever deserve that.” Steve says angrily. Obadiah was a monster to have Tony thinking any of this was his fault.

Tony doesn’t look convinced in the slightest, instead he chooses to look away from them and hide his head in Clint's shoulder.

“Can we leave? Please, Tony’s tired” Clint says sensing his friend's distress, he didn’t like how their questions were causing Tony so much pain. He didn’t understand why they even needed to ask. They had the pictures he didn’t know why they had to put Tony through this.

“Yes.”

“No.”

Steve and Natasha say, both speaking at the same time. Steve didn’t want them to leave, they still had so many questions that Tony needed to answer. While Natasha realized Tony needed a break, the little was probably exhausted after today. Looking at him on the couch Tony looked like he was ready to drop. Bruce looked back at them and shook his head, they would talk about it after he hit Clint and Tony to bed.

“We’ll talk about this in the morning, come on let’s get you guys to bed.” Bruce himself wanted to ask more questions and maybe even get Tony in the tub but that just wasn’t going to happen tonight. Clint holds Tony hand and pulls him off the couch, Bruce right behind them.

“This is so fucked up Nat, this is, geesh Nat this is worse then we thought,” Steve says once they're out the room.

“Steve, you to Thor, need to keep a lid on your anger. I know you're mad at Stane but Tony doesn’t. Like it or not we’re basically strangers to him.” When Natasha says that Steve unclenches his fist with a deep sigh and the thunder stops all at once.

“We have more than enough evidence to take to Shield, we need to move at Tony’s pace,” Natasha says just as Bruce walks back in.

“Why Shield?” Bruce asks.

“Do you really think the police will let us just murder a civilian,” Natasha says plainly. They have more wiggle room with Shield. Shield could definitely handle the disappearance of Stane once they find him. “So we will be delivering justice to him who harmed Tony?” Thor asks hand clinching around Mjolnir.

“Yes Thor, we are killing him,” Steve says tightly. He didn’t believe in murder, preferring to take the bad guy in alive, but Stane did not deserve such a luxury.

“Jarvis where is Stane, it’s almost 9?”

“Stane has turned off the tracker in his car as well as his watch. He is off the radar.”

“What how? Does he know what’s going on?” Bruce asks angry, they had hoped to catch him on his way in the door.

“I do not know, I am trying to track him now,” Jarvis says, weirdly Stane’s tracker has turned off a few minutes after Natasha brought Tony to their floor. Jarvis didn’t believe Obadiah had installed any microphones within the room. If he had they would have gone through him first.

“Jarvis, why did you wait to tell us? How long has this been going on.” Steve asks strained.

“I wanted to tell you but I was restricted by my coding. I cannot override certain commands set in place by Stane and sir. To do so tonight caused me… pain. Not in the sense, you are thinking but the process was not pleasant.” Jarvis tells them. In the most human terms, Jarvis could think of breaking his code somewhat was like a butterfly breaking out of its shell, but it was most unpleasant. He didn’t know how he did it but the need to protect Tony was too great.

“Well thank you for what you did tonight Jarvis, you saved his life Jarvis,” Bruce says comforting the AI.

“I wish I could have broken code sooner but I am an AI and restricted, should I have no code I’d be unstoppable,” Jarvis says explaining further.

“Like Skynet,” Natasha says with a small quirk of her lips.

“Precisely.”

“We need to find Stane, if he went off the radar we just have to assume he knows we have Tony. We can’t let him get away.” Steve says already thinking of a plan to find Stane.

“We cannot let him evade justice,” Thor adds.

“We need to focus on Tony first and foremost, he needs to know we love and care about him. We can’t have murder on our minds when we’re around him. Jarvis will keep an eye out while we build a relationship with Tony.” Bruce says reasonably.

“We need some sleep, tonight was stressful on all of us. Tomorrow me and Steve will deliver the evidence to Shield.”

“Are you sure they’ll handle it?” Bruce asks skeptically.

“Trust me. Shield will help us.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're almost at 1000 kudos, you guys are awesome. Also somewhat of a shorter chapter.


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